Hi all,

We hope that 2026 has arrived gently for you, offering moments of rest, warmth, and renewal. The new year brings forth the summer haze – long days, good books, blue skies, and the small comforts that help sustain us. In a world that can often feel heavy, these moments can become a lighthouse of care and connection. While we welcome the summer days, let’s take a few moments to reflect on the past year and what’s to come.

Curious about what we’ve been up to? Read on…

HOLDING SPACE 2025: Rituals of Welcome

Photo of Aunty Jacinta Tobin. Image Credit: Damon Amb.

In 2025, we wrapped the first iteration of our HOLDING SPACE program, which saw 18 artists and over 200 community participants respond to the theme of Rituals of Welcome.

Together, they created works that explored how rituals can bring together traditional practices and modern responses, helping to foster connection within and between different cultures and communities. Their works also explored themes like the environment, traditional healing practices, and connection to the land, with some being developed in close collaboration with refugee communities.

These creative works culminated in showcases that took place across three days and two sites: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House & Community Refugee Welcome Centre.

From dance and musical performances to community workshops, Rituals of Welcome ushered in a moving and meaningful sharing of stories and connections as artists, participants, and audiences. You can now re-live all these moments via our website.

We look forward to more of this in 2026. Watch this space.

Open Door Days 2026

Photo of the CuriousWorks team. Image Credit: Dylan Mangunay with assistance from Esky Escandor.

Finding your way as a professional artist or arts worker can be lonely and overwhelming. That’s where our Open Door Policy comes in – welcome in!

Whether you’re seeking professional insights, guidance on navigating the art world, needing a sounding board for your ideas, or simply wanting to talk about what we do here at CuriousWorks, our doors are open. We’re here to answer questions, chat about your work, or simply get to know each other better.

Our first Open Door Days for 2026 will be held on the 24th and 25th of Feb at Fairfield City HQ where you can come in for a cuppa and a chat! You can book a one-on-one with one of our team members, or if you can’t make it in person, you can opt for a video or phone call.

On these days, we also have a dedicated drop-in time from 12-1pm on both days for anyone who prefers a more spontaneous visit. Light refreshments provided. You’re also welcome to bring your own lunch.

CuriousWorks Is Hiring: Community Arts Senior Creative Producer

Photo of the CuriousWorks team. Image Credit: Dylan Mangunay with assistance from Esky Escandor.

The Community Arts Senior Creative Producer is a key member of the CuriousWorks team. Reporting to the CEO, the role is responsible for working collaboratively with the team to co-design and deliver a number of CuriousWorks programs. Applications are due: 11:59pm Monday February 2, 2026. Email Kiriaki Zakinthinos, CEO, for enquiries from Monday January 12, 2026 at kiriaki@curiousworks.com.au

CuriousWorks – more news

Still from Carielyn Tunion’s i am a deepsea fisherwoman, but i do not cash fish as part of Tender. Image Credit: Justine da Jose.

Here’s a snapshot of everything else we’ve been up to since our last update. Make sure that you follow us on our social media (LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook) to keep up to date with all things CuriousWorks!

• Tender reveals the nuances and tender sides of the communities of Western Sydney through four individual but interconnected documentary films by multidisciplinary artists: Mohammad Awad (3awadi), Carielyn Tunion, Diamond Tat, and Sharon Mani. It is currently showing at Nexus Arts Gallery until Jan 16th 2026. Don’t miss out!
• In August 2025, we joined our Creative Producer, Miranda Aguilar in celebrating ACE x TAFE’s ‘Capabilities and Leadership Skills in CACD for Emerging Producers in Western Sydney’, which provided 16 emerging CACD producers with training and upskilling opportunities. Read Miranda’s reflection on their experience of the program here.
• Last but not least, shoutout to the Curiously West Film Club crew! Their film Waves was officially selected to be a part of the Made In The West Film Festival 2025.

CuriousWorks exists at the intersection between contemporary multi-arts practice and community arts and cultural development. Since our inception, our mission and values remain unwavering – to help build a fair, inclusive, equitable, innovative arts landscape that reflects the plurality and complexity of lived experience in contemporary Australia.

Alt text are embedded within the images and image descriptions can be found below:
1) A summer-themed e-newsletter header that promotes CuriousWorks’ Summer Newsletter 2026. The background is a pink, orange and yellow gradient and it features decorative, summer-related drawings such as the ice-cream, a pineapple cartoon character wearing sunglasses, starfish, a smiling sun, and an open book scattered around. On the left-hand side of the header is the CuriousWorks logo in its colourful, horizontal format and underneath that are the words ‘Summer Newsletter 2026’ in cap-locks. On the right-hand side of the text is a polaroid graphic held by washi tape with a red picnic blanket print on it. The polaroid contains a photo of the CuriousWorks team. The CuriousWorks team (from left to right: Emma Pham, Samantha Barahona, Andrea Nealy, Miranda Aguilar, Kirsten Maglalang, Jenny Trinh, Kobra Sayyadi & Kiri Zakinthinos) are all standing next to each other. They are all smiling and directly facing the camera.

2) A photo of First Nation artist Aunty Jacinta Tobin talking to the audience. She is standing on a stage and in front of the gold 'HOLDING SPACE 2025: Rituals of Welcome' banner, which is being projected on a big screen. She is wearing a black top with a sheer green overlay on top as well as flowy, white pants. Her red acoustic guitar is gently resting near the chair next to her. The photo was taken by Damon Amb.

3) A social graphic that promotes CuriousWorks' Open Door Policy program. The background is a a colourful spiral background of yellow, purple and blue colours. In the top-right corner is a cartoon graphic that depicts a door that opens to a sunny scene. The CuriousWorks logo in white is positioned on the bottom-centre of the graphic. In the centre of the graphic is a group photo of the CuriousWorks team including from top to bottom: Elias Nohra, Vandana Ram, Andrea Lim, Samanatha Barahona, Andrea Nealy, Cassandra Li, Miranda Aguilar, Jenny Trinh, Kiriaki Zakinthinos, Kirsten Maglalang & Emma Pham. The group photo is framed by a polaroid-like border with a sticky tape graphic placed on top of it. On the polaroid is the text 'OPEN DOOR POLICY. 24TH & 25TH OF FEBRUARY 2026' in all-caps text.

4) A social graphic with a red background. It features a blank scrapbook with a blue star paperclip. On the scrapbook paper is a photo of the CuriousWorks team from left to right: Miranda Aguilar, Jenny Trinh, Elias Nohra, Vandana Ram, Andrea Lim, Kiriaki Zakinthinos, Samantha Barahona, Andrea Nealy, Kirsten Maglalang, Cassandra Li & Emma Pham. Above the photo is the following text, 'CuriousWorks is Hiring: Community Arts Senior Creative Producer' Below the photo is the following text, 'Applications Due: 11:59pm Monday February 2, 2026.'

5) A social graphic with a red background. It promotes the Tender exhibition showing at Nexus Arts Gallery. On the top-middle of the graphic is the text in white font, ‘Tender’ followed by the exhibition artists’ names: Mohammad Awad, Sharon Mani, Diamond Tat & Carielyn Tunion. Below is the exhibition dates, ‘Thu 27th Nov – Fri 16th Jan’ and the Nexus Arts Gallery logo. At the bottom is a behind-the-scenes photo from Carielyn Tunion’s videopoem i am a deepsea fisherwoman, but i do not catch fish. Carielyn is seen wearing a white dress and draped in a sheer and red material. She is gracefully squatting on near rockpool formations and is pensively looking into the camera. Behind her is gentle blue ocean waves.